


This isn't about the cards, Neville.

by digthewriter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Hopeful Ending, M/M, Mutual Pining, Open Ending, Pining, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:35:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25872970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/digthewriter/pseuds/digthewriter
Summary: Neville has a hopeless crush on his flatmate.
Relationships: Neville Longbottom/Blaise Zabini
Comments: 9
Kudos: 48
Collections: Rare Pair Shorts - Summer Wishlist Event 2020





	This isn't about the cards, Neville.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lenapinewoods](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lenapinewoods/gifts).



> **Notes:** Unbetaed. I hope you like it! Open ending. Happy/hopeful ending. Pining. Mutual pining. Written for recipient based on [wishlist here](https://rarepair-shorts.livejournal.com/679741.html?thread=2455869#t2455869).

Blaise leaned closer to Neville and began to whisper in his ear. 

"Hey, no cheating!" Ginny nearly shouted. 

"I'm not cheating," Blaise retorted and he leaned in closer still. "I'm trying to understand the rules of this card game." 

"It's actually not that hard…" Neville said, turning his head and his lips mere centimetres away from Blaise's.

==//==

A summertime picnic arranged by his friends sounded like a good idea but when Neville discovered that it wasn't only going to be Luna and Ginny, he'd started to become nervous. Over the years, he was getting good with people, but it was another thing when it came to his flatmate Blaise. They had only been living together for a few months, but Neville had hopelessly fallen for him.

Of course, it didn't help he'd accidentally blurted it out once to Ginny and now she was on a mission to get them together. 

How do you even _get together_ with someone who might be straight? Or well, doesn't date. At all? 

"This is why the picnic will be fun!" Ginny told him when she came over to help him pack sandwiches and drinks. "We'll all get to know each other, maybe play a few games, and we'll learn more about the aloof Blaise Zabini." 

"Sure," Neville said, sceptically. He wasn't even sure if Blaise was going to show up to the picnic. Usually, he kept his distance from people, and only went places if Malfoy dragged him there.

==//==

They stared into each other's eyes—Neville was too frozen to move but Blaise—Neville didn't know what Blaise's deal was. Why didn't he pull away?

"Look…" Neville heard a whisper and the spell was broken. He quickly turned away and stared down at his cards. What was he holding? What game were they playing? He couldn't remember. 

Next to him, Blaise cleared his throat and pulled away. He threw down a card, it was a spade, and… 

"No. That's the wrong—" 

"Don't _help_ him, Neville. He's not your partner." 

Those words rung more true than Ginny had intended, thought Neville. "Right. I know. Just my flatmate." 

"No…" Ginny said, almost gasping, "that's not what I mean—" 

"I'm going for a walk," Blaise said, throwing his cards in the middle of the circle, and quickly stood up. 

Neville didn't look up. He didn't stop him. He felt the heat of a thousand burning suns on him, as if all his friends were _all_ glaring at him, but he simply pretended as if nothing was different. 

"See you later," he said, eventually.

==//==

Their living arrangement was only supposed to be for a few short weeks but because Neville travelled so much for his work, and he was never in Blaises's way, Blaise asked to stay longer. Mrs Zabini had ordered Blaise to stay with a flatmate or a friend because he was often alone and she claimed to worry about his mental well-being.

After the war, many pureblood wizarding children had their own trauma to recover from, and Mrs Zabini wanted to make sure Blaise wasn't going to hide himself from the world. Nott hadn't done a very good job of it, either, but his parents were _actually_ involved with the Death Eaters so it was a different story. 

Draco had Harry while Pansy spent a lot of her time with Ron and Hermione, surprisingly enough. So that left Blaise. 

A few weeks turned into a few months and Neville's field trips became more infrequent. He wondered if Blaise was going to get sick of him and move out. But that was a topic which never came up in conversation.

==//==

"Neville, are you feeling alright?" Luna asked in a gentle tone. Neville finally looked up at her.

"Yes, Luna. Are you?" he asked. 

He watched as Ginny rolled her eyes and threw her arm around Luna's neck. She kissed the top of Luna's head and let go. 

"Luna's too kind to tell you you're being a fucking fool." 

Luna smiled. "Well, I'm worried about his inability to recognise social cues. What was it Ron called it?"

"Read the room and get his head out of his arse," said Ginny. 

There was a snort of laughter from Harry, and when Neville looked at Malfoy, he was only shaking his head. 

"I don't think it's his fault alone," said Malfoy. "The other party could have said something before making a show of it in public and then getting embarrassed." 

"Well, the other party has their own _problems_ ," Ginny drawled, and Neville didn't know if Ginny was agreeing with Malfoy, or arguing with him, but all in all—he still didn't know _what_ they were talking about. 

He stared at them, blankly. 

When Neville looked at Harry for answers, Harry sighed. "You do know he has a job now? He's got friends outside of this group, doesn't actually need to stay with you anymore. And he has a support system where his mother trusts him enough to allow him to get his own flat?" 

Neville shrugged. "Yeah, but he said the flats he saw didn't have the sunshine he required." 

This time, it was Ginny who snorted. "Sunshine. That's a first." 

"Hey, I thought _I_ was your sunshine?" Luna asked, looking bemused. 

"What?" Neville asked. "What are you saying? Does he want to move out and doesn't want to hurt my feelings or something?" 

Everyone in the circle shook their heads. "No, idiot," said Ginny. "He wants to sleep with you in your room!" 

Neville was now even more confused, and then as if proper ventilation has finally started to flow through a greenhouse, Neville thought he understood what his friends were saying. 

"Wait? You reckon he fancies me too?" he asked, shocked. "That can't be true." 

"Yes, genius!" Ginny shouted again. "Now, why don't you go for a walk too, maybe?" She looked at him like he had two heads but he was still clinging on to the cards he was holding in his hands. 

"What about the game?" 

"Fuck the game," everyone said at the same time, and then Luna giggled. 

"Right. Very well then. So fuck the game. I'll be off then." Neville placed the cards on the ground and stood up slowly. He pressed the front of his trousers with the palm of his hands and then took in a deep breath. 

"Maybe today? Before the nargles attack?" Luna asked while everyone else looked impatient. 

"Okay. Okay. I'm going." 

Neville turned around and started to walk in the direction Blaise had gone, unsure of what he was going to do when he found his flatmate.

* * *


End file.
